Kiss me, Then Hate me

chimed like

Standing in four-inch stilettos, with her legs crossed at the ankles like a dancer in first position, she stared out th

en's crown, but inside, tension was thick an

rated as she stepped in, heels whisp

spered like it was a

't turn. "Le

linked

minu

st. Ariella took one slow sip from her espresso s

n Damien Cross

hat night i

ted her in front of th

ruised but unbroken, vowing one day, she'd be

ts wicked humor, had placed

of Cross

cquiring

l her "Scarlet the Scar

now had to

perfect f

collar of her blood-red silk blouse. Her

inutes

e, and pushed open the thick, frosted glass door to Conference Roo

here

en C

business look

it in annoyance-or desire. Slate gray suit tailored to slice heart

gazes

inful. "Well, well. Scarlet

enough to wound. "And the

r. Expensive, magnetic, layered with something dangerous

torment counted

r yourself. You think I rem

e was laced with lethal calm. "You rem

the room

ltered-just

steppe

heat. Let him remember that the girl he broke b

deep velvet threat. "Impressive numbers. Fast growth. A litt

cquisitions. One scandal buried per quarter.

"And yet, you stil

yes. "I don't mind dancing with th

, and something in her chest

"The woman who took a no-name startup and made it a contender in five years. Who told my boar

woman you're looking at rebuilt herself without

slow ste

ano

inches a

ing to her mouth. "Do you still t

roared i

lappe

ed like lightni

he impact. And then, m

d, rubbing his ja

-

Days

ay, 8

anhattan –

glass, gold

black gown clung to every curve with quiet authority

e champagne, men who stared too long. But sh

Damien wou

m before h

like him always knew when

ike that, every lie she'd told herself-abou

t smile

d her like he ha

Bla

Cro

ook li

ou've been drink

s head. "I'v

missed yo

le

ns

that the heat between their b

he whi

idn't

't b

ybe... may

-

s la

n't have

it

by mouths, insults turned into hands that clutched and clawed, memories d

ke all the nights she cried over him

his hair. His mout

e like a man finally finding

want

moaned

-

47

Apar

make it to

itnessed what ten years

eyes locked to his, nail

breathed, his voice ra

you," sh

darkly. "Sa

ate

ps rose to

uth found

was a

-

te

still, breat

lf-buttoned, tie gone, his skin

ed her f

he asked, her voi

he said, af

ded, ja

id. "Then we w

rushing her jaw w

iella. But your body a

pped hi

her wrist

ssed h